December

Lawyers Journal

Cowan helps Tiered Mentoring Program kick off third year

By Andrea Burke

December 2011

Mentors motivated William "Mo" Cowan, chief of staff to Gov.
Deval L. Patrick, to fight against the social norms of his small
town and pursue his dreams to become the first college graduate and
lawyer in his family. Cowan was the keynote speaker at the opening
ceremony of the MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program at Suffolk
University Law School Oct. 27.

"A mentor without a mentee is nothing," said Cowan, who reminded
participants to take advantage of the program and to actively seek
out help. "A mentor today can be a mentor forever."

The event also featured remarks from Camille A. Nelson, Suffolk
University Law School's dean and professor of law.
Nelson encouraged participants to surround themselves with people
who would help them achieve their goals. "A good mentor will carry
you a great distance."

Now in its third year, the MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring
Program matches up 10 practicing lawyers with more than two dozen
students from high school, college and law school, including New
Mission High School, Roxbury Community College, UMass-Boston,
Suffolk University Law School and Boston University School of
Law.

MBA President Richard P. Campbell told students how important his
mentors have been, enabling him to become a confident trial
attorney early in his career in Newark, N.J. He encouraged program
participants to push themselves toward their personal goals. "I
look forward to having you join us in this profession," he
said.

The mentoring program was the idea of Norfolk Probate and Family
Court First Justice Angela M. Ordoñez. "It is my hope to get a
greater diversity of people to join the legal profession," she
said, ending her remarks by reminding participants in the program
to "pay it forward" and give back to the community